Play You for It - by Samantha Saldivar (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

NATIONAL BESTSELLER - In this sizzling sapphic romance, sparks fly between a sports journalist and her latest source--the first woman to be named head coach of a Division 1 men's basketball team--but are they willing to risk their careers for a shot at love?

When Jordan D'Amato becomes the first woman named head coach of a top-level men's college basketball team, journalist Caroline Beck is determined to get the story. After years of scraping her way into the world of sports reporting, Beck knows that snagging the first one-on-one interview with the elusive head coach could be her big break. But Jordan is wary of the media and the attention her historic new appointment attracts, especially as her boss makes it clear that it's a temporary assignment--and if she doesn't lead the team to victory, it won't become permanent.

Beck's persistence, however, charms Jordan, and she agrees to sit down for an interview. The two women have undeniable chemistry--but journalists definitely can't fall for sources, and Jordan certainly can't fully trust the ambitious reporter who has every reason to use her team secrets for the next big scoop. Though they both know it will ruin their reputations and likely also cost them their jobs if anyone finds out they are romantically involved, they can't seem to stay away from each other.

With the national tournament in sight and both of their careers on the line, they must decide whether to take the shot on their budding love story--or walk away from the risky game they've been playing for good.

Review Quotes

"Samantha Saldivar has written a slam-dunk romance that had me cheering from the bleachers through every chapter. I fell in love with both of these determined, headstrong women fighting their way into male-dominated fields, driven by the magic of basketball. Play You For It is bound to be my favorite book of the year."--Susie Dumond, author of Queerly Beloved

"Saldivar's lively plot is juicy and addictive, headlined by multifaceted heroines who command attention from the first page. The colorful characters on the basketball team add to the fun. Laden with both heat and heart, this sapphic sports romance is a winner."--Publishers Weekly

"[A] delightful debut novel. . . . Saldivar crafts very real-feeling characters, with fun dialogue and slow-burning chemistry in the high-stakes world of ambitious women. Perfect for fans of Ashley Herring Blake and sports romances in general; readers will love diving into the world of college basketball while rooting for the two leads to fall in love and somehow make it work."--Booklist

"Play You For It won me over right from the start with its richly layered characters, high-stakes drama, and riveting romantic tension. Author Samantha Saldivar is an award-winning broadcaster with a background in sports reporting. The world she builds around her characters and the problems they face feel remarkably real. By the end, I found myself cheering for the Bulldogs like I had courtside season tickets."--Book Riot

About the Author

Samantha Saldivar is a corporate broadcast producer who has previously worked at the NBC affiliates KGW in Portland and KMTR in Eugene, where she won a regional Emmy Award for Best Evening Newscast. During her time studying at the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication, she reported on college sports for campus television and interned at the now-defunct Comcast Sportsnet Northwest. She lives in Portland with her wife